Sullivan Returns to Court After Coaching, Sees Game In New Ways as Official
By
Doug Donnelly
Special for MHSAA.com
February 6, 2024
Gary Sullivan is getting a whole new perspective on basketball.
After 25 years of coaching the game on several levels – including the last six as the boys varsity coach at Blissfield Community Schools – Sullivan has replaced his school logo with stripes and a whistle. He’s enjoying his second basketball career, this time as a referee.
“I’m having a good time,” said Sullivan, who will retire this month as a teacher at Blissfield. “I’ve had fantastic experiences so far. I hope it stays that way.”
Sullivan is an Ohio native, having grown up just across the state line and attended Evergreen High School. After graduating from the University of Toledo, he landed a teaching job at Blissfield. Early on, he took a stab at officiating basketball.
“(Former Blissfield baseball coach) Larry Tuttle got me into it,” he said. “I did a few middle school and some junior varsity games. Then, when I became an athletic director pretty early in my career, I gave officiating up.”
He started coaching along the way, from youth sports to middle school basketball. He took over as the Blissfield varsity coach in 2016-17
After winning seven games over two seasons with an experienced roster, Blissfield rebounded with 12 wins in 2018-19 and 19 in 2019-20 – the most for Blissfield since 1992.
The Royals won Lenawee County Athletic Association and Division 2 District titles in 2021. The LCAA title was the first for the Royals since 2003, and the District championship was the first for the school since 2004. He won 60 games in all and earned two county Coach of the Year awards.
He stepped down as basketball coach two years ago.
It wasn’t long and he was being courted to help tackle the referee shortage in Michigan and across the country. His brother, Terry, is a basketball official in the Jackson area.
“When I was finished coaching, I started thinking about it again,” Sullivan said. “My brother does a ton of officiating in the Jackson area. He told me, ‘Just do it. It will be fun. What else are you going to do in the middle of the winter? You might as well referee.’ It gives you a chance to still be involved in the game.”
Initially, Sullivan figured he’d officiate a few middle school and junior varsity games. Once he got his feet wet and adjusted to life with the whistle, however, he was hooked.
“Last year was my first year – that was my intention, do middle school and some JV, maybe a couple of days a week,” he said. “Before I knew it, they were assigning me games left and right. The more I did it, the more I liked it. By the end of the year, they had the chance to assign a couple of varsity games. No one complained too awful bad, and they gave me a few more.”
With his basketball background, Sullivan found being a referee an outlet for his competitive nature.
“Being around basketball has made it much easier for me than someone who just comes in and, ‘Hey, I’ll try to do this,’ he said. “You are competing with yourself a little to make the right call and keep the game flowing along.”
There have been a few unexpected moments in the transition from coach to referee.
For one, Sullivan said, being on the court is a completely different perspective than being on the sidelines.
“It is so much faster when you have to run and follow that person than it is when you sit there and watch it,” Sullivan said. “When you have to run, get to your primary spot, then keep the peripheral vision going to watch everything, it's much faster, more difficult than I ever anticipated.”
Sullivan said certain aspects of the game are different, too.
“As a coach, I always anticipated what I thought was going to happen,” he said. “In your mind you know someone is going to travel, then as soon as they travel, you are yelling ‘Travel!’ As an official, it is better to be a second late and be correct than a second early and be wrong.
“To me, the toughest transition has been to slow down, wait for the actual play to let itself run its course. Make sure it really was a foul. Think about it. Don’t get in a rush to make the call.”
He’s grateful to other area officials who have helped him learn the tricks of the trade during either formal training sessions or by example. He’s had the chance to review some of his games on film, which has helped him dissect the game from a new angle. He’s also learned from coaching to block out fans and people from the crowd who might disagree with a call.
“I have not had a negative experience yet from a fan,” he said. “As a former coach, I put myself on double probation – I dished out enough that maybe I’m a little more tolerant than some other officials. That’s just my personality at this point.”
This year Sullivan has had a full schedule of middle school games plus about a dozen girls varsity basketball games and a handful of boys varsity games. The most recent was Friday in Ottawa Lake in front of a big crowd watching rivals Whiteford and Summerfield.
“That was a ton of fun – full house, competitive game. I was glad to be a part of it,” Sullivan said.
There’s another bonus to being an official. When the game is over, he can go home and sleep. No more late nights watching film or scouting for the upcoming opponent.
“My cats are much happier,” he said. “I’m not waking up at 4:30 in the morning and watching a film, then going back to bed. It’s fun. I’m enjoying it.”
Doug Donnelly has served as a sports and news reporter and city editor over 25 years, writing for the Daily Chief-Union in Upper Sandusky, Ohio from 1992-1995, the Monroe Evening News from 1995-2012 and the Adrian Daily Telegram since 2013. He's also written a book on high school basketball in Monroe County and compiles record books for various schools in southeast Michigan. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Official Gary Sullivan monitors the action while working a boys basketball game at Ottawa Lake Whiteford. (Middle) Sullivan directs his team from the sideline during his tenure as Blissfield’s boys basketball coach. (Top photo by Mike Doughty; middle photo courtesy of the Adrian Daily Telegram.)
Breslin Bound: 2024-25 Girls Report Week 7
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 20, 2025
We've reached the midpoint of this girls basketball season, but the second half is just the start of the buildup for the most exciting part of every year.
Most teams have played their league opponents once, with upcoming rematches set to decide champions. As noted earlier, for the first time this season District brackets will be seeded completely, meaning every team is playing to affect its position for when the MHSAA Tournament starts in seven weeks. And below we continue to detail several of the latest moves in league play and District ranking for teams hoping to be in a championship mix.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. DeWitt 62, Haslett 50 – The Panthers (10-1) broke a two-game losing streak against their longtime rival Vikings (8-2), picking up great momentum heading into one of DeWitt’s toughest weeks of the regular season.
2. Frankenmuth 65, Detroit Country Day 39 The Eagles (9-2) have won eight straight and handed Country Day (10-1) its lone loss in a matchup of Division 2 hopefuls.
3. Grass Lake 49, Leslie 39 Grass Lake (9-3) sits alone atop the Cascades Conference East after handing Leslie (6-3) its only league loss and after delivering the same to Michigan Center a week earlier.
4. Midland 56, Midland Dow 41 After last month ending an 11-game losing streak against rival Dow, Midland High (9-1) finished its first regular-season sweep of its rival in 11 years.
5. Detroit Renaissance 67, Grand Blanc 43 The Phoenix (13-1) are soaring again with three straight double-digit wins since suffering their lone loss, this victory coming at the Martin Luther King Showcase at West Bloomfield.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Rockford (12-1) The Rams have reached at least the Division 1 Semifinals the last three seasons – winning the title in 2023 – and they are prepping well for another run despite playing a schedule of opponents with a combined .750 in-state winning percentage. The lone loss came Dec. 14 to Division 2 contender Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard, and Rockford has handed the only losses to Tecumseh and Grand Haven. The 51-45 win over Tecumseh on Jan. 11 was the only win decided by fewer than 12 points.
Temperance Bedford (8-1) The Kicking Mules have moved into first alone in the Southeastern Conference Red with wins over contenders Dexter and Saline over the last week – and after splitting with Saline last season, when those two shared the league title. Bedford reached the Quarterfinals a year ago, finishing 24-3, and opened this winter by avenging last year’s loss to Sylvania Northview. The only defeat this time has against Tecumseh to finish the season’s first week, and all but one of Bedford’s victories have come over opponents with at least a .500 record.
DIVISION 2
Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard (10-1) Coming off last season’s trip to the Division 2 championship game, and runner-up finish, FGR has played the toughest in-state schedule in any division with its Michigan opponents posting a combined .827 in-state winning percentage. The Irish gave Adrian Madison and Rockford their only losses, and are just a 46-45 loss to undefeated Belleville from being undefeated instead. FGR also is leading the Catholic High School League Central East and has another telling Division 2 challenger on the schedule with Chelsea making the trip to Ann Arbor on Feb. 18
Tecumseh (9-1) Coming off last season’s run to the Division 2 Quarterfinals, and right behind Father Gabriel Richard on that toughest schedules list, Tecumseh has played opponents with a combined .773 in-state winning percentage – second in the state regardless of division. As noted above, a 51-45 loss to Division 1 Rockford is all that is separating Tecumseh from being undefeated. Wins over Bedford and Blissfield remain those opponents’ only losses, and a 53-41 win over Chelsea on Jan. 9 has Tecumseh first in the Southeastern Conference White; the rematch is Jan. 31 at Chelsea.
DIVISION 3
Evart (9-1) The Wildcats have won 19 games both of the last two seasons and are pushing again for what would be a first league title in at least a decade. They are among three teams tied for the first in the Highland Conference, their lone loss to McBain and with that rematch coming up Feb. 7. No other opponent has come closer than nine points, and wins over Manton, Frankfort, Sanford Meridian and Fremont have been the most notable of another solid run so far.
Niles Brandywine (11-0) The Bobcats moved into first place alone in the Lakeland Conference last week with a 42-point win over previously-undefeated Berrien Springs, and the reigning Division 3 runner-up has won all of its games by double digits and nine by at least 30 points. The second half of the regular-season schedule presents a number of challenges as Brandywine gears up for another playoff run – most notably undefeated Division 1 St. Joseph and Division 2 Vicksburg, a Berrien Springs rematch and next week’s game against Division 1 Stevensville Lakeshore.
DIVISION 4
Concord (9-2) The Yellow Jackets made an incredible jump a year ago, finishing 20-6 after going 4-17 in 2022-23. They haven’t slowed down and already have avenged losses from last winter to Hanover-Horton, Bronson and Springport. The only defeats this time came to still-unbeaten Morenci by two points Dec. 9 and Division 2 Brooklyn Columbia Central during holiday break. Concord also leads the Big 8 Conference and can avenge another 2023-24 loss Jan. 27 at Michigan Center.
Kingston (7-1) A 44-40 loss to Division 2 Imlay City on Dec. 10 is all that’s kept the reigning Division 4 runner-up from being undefeated to this point, and a 53-46 win over Cass City has helped Kingston get there as well as it remains Cass City’s only loss. Kingston is tied atop the Big Thumb Conference Blue with Deckerville heading into Tuesday’s first of two matchups between them this season. The Cardinals also have solid February tests against Division 2 Croswell-Lexington and Division 1 Saginaw Heritage.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Monday – Goodrich (9-2) vs. Grand Rapids West Catholic (10-1) at Saginaw Valley State – These Division 2 contenders will face off in the 3 p.m. matchup at SVSU’s Martin Luther King Classic.
Tuesday – L’Anse (10-1) at Ewen-Trout Creek (11-1) – This could decide the Copper Mountain Conference championship as they are two of three teams undefeated in league play and this their only matchup.
Wednesday – Indian River Inland Lakes (9-1) at Gaylord St. Mary (9-1) – These Division 4 statewide hopefuls also are tied for first in the Ski Valley Conference heading into this first of two meetings.
Friday – Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (8-0) at St. Charles (7-1) – These two are undefeated atop the Mid-State Activities Conference heading into this first of two matchups this season after St. Charles won the league and Sacred Heart finished second a year ago.
Friday – Holt (8-3) at DeWitt (10-1) – As noted above, DeWitt has one of its toughest weeks ahead, but a rematch win would be a rewarding way to finish it as the Rams lead the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue after winning their first meeting 47-39.
MHSAA.com's weekly “Breslin Bound” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
PHOTOS (Top) DeWitt's Tara Kurncz (14) drives to the basket during her team's 48-38 win Friday over Lansing Waverly. (Middle) Detroit Edison's Isis Johnson Musah (2) make her move toward the lane during her team's 50-48 loss to Detroit Renaissance on Dec. 21. (DeWitt/Waverly photo by Terry Lyons. Renaissance/Edison photo by Team Arreguin Photos.)